Separation of tissue planes is a common procedure in many different surgeries, such as, abdominalplasty, open ventral hernia repair, flap harvesting, deep tissue closure, and skin closure. After the tissue separation and completion of the surgery, the tissue planes must then be re-approximated. Although the goal is that the planes heal and reunite normally, it is often not the case, as seroma formation (fluid buildup) in the space between the tissue planes is a typical complication. When approximating tissue planes with traditional techniques, dead spaces are often formed between the tissue planes, which allows for tissue shear and subsequent seroma formation which in turn increases the risk of developing a seroma and an infection.
Attempts to minimize tissue seroma of this type include removal of the fluid from the space between the tissue planes using drains. Although somewhat effective, this method does not affect the formation of the fluid pockets, but rather removes the fluid as it is produced. Eliminating drains altogether is currently not considered an option. Other approaches attempt to minimize the likelihood of seroma formation and include alternative tissue fixation methods such as quilting sutures and progressive tissue suturing (PTS). Both quilting and PTS involve placing a large number of individual sutures progressively along the tissue planes, which is intricate are very time consuming These techniques also have other drawbacks, including accessibility, tension control, security, and consistency, and cheese-wiring.
What is needed is an improved device and method for approximating tissue planes that minimizes seroma formation and can be performed in a simple, quick, and efficient manner.